The Nationals designated Xavier Nady for assignment this morning, a move the club was forced into making after the outfielder’s 20-day rehab assignment with Class A Potomac ended.

The club also officially recalled left-hander John Lannan from Class AAA Syracuse, utilizing MLB’s newly created rule that allows teams to add a 26th player to their big-league roster for doubleheaders.

Nady had maximized his allotted time on rehab from a wrist strain; he went 1-for-3 last night at Potomac, ending his 12-game stint with a .158 average and one RBI.

The Nationals had to either put Nady back on the big-league roster or risk losing him altogether. They chose the latter.

A surprise member of the Nationals’ Opening Day roster, Nady hit .157 with three homers and six RBI in 40 big-league games this season.Read more

Gotta put the X-man in the category of Jonny Gomes, and a few others who I just never understood why we signed them in the first place. What, exactly, is the appeal of Xavier Nady? I never found that out. Neither apparently did Rizzo.